Apex Magazine is a monthly science fiction, fantasy, and horror magazine featuring original, mind-bending short fiction from many of the top pros of the field.

Fiction“The Silk Merchant” by Ken Liu“Ironheart” by Alec Austin“Coyote Gets His Own Back” by Sarah Monette“Wolf Trapping” by Kij Johnson

Nonfiction“Editorial: Blood on Vellum” by Lynne M. Thomas“What It Is We Miss WheApex Magazine is a monthly science fiction, fantasy, and horror magazine featuring original, mind-bending short fiction from many of the top pros of the field.

Fiction“The Silk Merchant” by Ken Liu“Ironheart” by Alec Austin“Coyote Gets His Own Back” by Sarah Monette“Wolf Trapping” by Kij Johnson

Nonfiction“Editorial: Blood on Vellum” by Lynne M. Thomas“What It Is We Miss When We Don’t Read Fanzines” by Christopher J. Garcia“An Interview with Kij Johnson” by Maggie Slater

Community Reviews

I'm only reviewing the fiction here. Just FYI. Five stars for The Silk Merchant and Ironheart, four stars for Wolf Trapping, and three stars for Coyote Get's His Own Back. Let's call this a 5-star review.

The Silk Merchant, by Ken Liu. A young man sets out to redeem his father's name and prove that the legendary Shimmersilk actually exists. I called the ending, but that doesn't have to serve as a black mark. CONTENT: No language. No sexual content. Little overt violence, but several very disturbiI'm only reviewing the fiction here. Just FYI. Five stars for The Silk Merchant and Ironheart, four stars for Wolf Trapping, and three stars for Coyote Get's His Own Back. Let's call this a 5-star review.

The Silk Merchant, by Ken Liu. A young man sets out to redeem his father's name and prove that the legendary Shimmersilk actually exists. I called the ending, but that doesn't have to serve as a black mark. CONTENT: No language. No sexual content. Little overt violence, but several very disturbing ideas and revelations.

Ironheart, by Alec Austin. In a dark future, a dark past, or a dark parallel world humanity is at war with the Fae. This war has raged for years, fueling and fueled by dark magic and necromancy. With no more adults to feed to the war, children have been pressed into service. Fallen soldiers are revived with necromancy and sent back to the front to fight and die again. Usable parts are "Frankensteined" together and sent back out. The way the war was described, terms used and the dynamics of how the stalemate had cemented, I can't imagine that the first World War was not an inspiration here. CONTENT: Strong violence, sometimes disturbing. Harsh language. Sexual innuendos, non-explicit.

Coyote Gets His Own Back, by Sarah Monette. This one is really too short to describe without rendering it moot. I wasn't really a fan of this one, just didn't connect with it. Doesn't mean you won't. CONTENT: Violence, some gruesome content. No sex or language.

Wolf Trapping, by Kij Johnson. A disturbing tale of obsession and its consequences, how far we will go to acheive the thing we want. Richard is living alone in the woods, observing the wolves and their behavior. One day he stumbles across a lone woman doing the same, but whereas Richard strives to remain detached and not affect their behavior, this woman wants to join the wolves and be a part of their pack..... CONTENT: R-rated language. No sexual content. Some disturbing and gory violence....more

Wonderful and raw short story by Kij Johnson. Also appears in her collection "At the mouth of the river of bees". A behaviouralist observes a pack of wolves in the mountains as the winter draws in. He meets Addie, an intense woman who is tracking the same pack of wolves but who is not content to remain a mere observer.This story has remained in my mind for many months after I read "At the mouth..." and I've finally come round to re-read it.

In my day job, I am the Head of the Rare Books and Manuscript Library and Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Rare Book and Manuscript Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the largest public university rare book collections in the country. I used to manage pop culture special collections that include the papers of over 70 SF/F authors at Northern Illinois University. IIn my day job, I am the Head of the Rare Books and Manuscript Library and Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Rare Book and Manuscript Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the largest public university rare book collections in the country. I used to manage pop culture special collections that include the papers of over 70 SF/F authors at Northern Illinois University. I also teach a Special Collections course as an adjunct in the iSchool at Illinois, and used to do so at SJSU.

I'm a five-time Hugo Award winner, the Co-Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Uncanny Magazine with my husband Michael Damian Thomas. The former Editor-in-Chief of Apex Magazine (2011-2013), I co-edited the Hugo Award-winning Chicks Dig Time Lords, Whedonistas, and Chicks Dig Comics. I moderated the Hugo-Award winning SF Squeecast and contribute to the Verity! Podcast. You can learn more about her shenanigans at lynnemthomas.com....more